Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Obviously Israel is first in the line of Iranian fire. And it represents an existential threat to Israel. But you know who is next? The Arab countries in the Middle East and they’re worried about the Iranian program and want us to ask strongly to stop it. And we’re next! Because Ahmadinejad in Tehran constantly leads the mobs in shouts of death to America. And they mean it.

...Fortunately, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation has prepared a helpful chart:

UNITED STATES

IRAN

Population

303,824,646

65,875,223

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

$13.8 trillion

$0.75 trillion

Defense spending fiscal year 2009

$711 billion

$7.2 billion

Total troops

2,580,875

895,000

Main battle tanks

8,023

1,613

Reconnaissance vehicles

348

35

Armored infantry fighting vehicles

6,719

610

Armored personnel carriers

21,242

640

Artillery units

8,041

8,196

Helicopters

5,425

311

Submarines

71

6

Principal surface combatants

106

5

Patrol and coastal combatants

157

320

Mine warfare ships

9

5

Amphibious ships

490

21

Fighter aircraft

3,538

286

Long-range bomber aircraft

170

None

Transport aircraft

883

136

Electronic warfare/intelligence aircraft

159

3

Reconnaissance aircraft

134

6

Maritime patrol aircraft

197

8

Anti-submarine warfare aircraft

58

None

Airborne early warning aircraft

53

None

Nuclear warheads

~5,400

None

Is there any graver threat to the US in the world today than artillery units and patrol and coastal combatants (halfway across the world)?